A wide variety of structures which absorb and transport body fluids are known in the disposable absorbent article art. Commercial disposable absorbent articles include diapers, adult incontinent products, catamenial pads, and bandages. Disposable products of this type comprise some functional members for accepting, transporting and retaining fluids. Typically, such sanitary napkins, disposable absorbent articles include a fluid-permeable topsheet, an absorbent core and a fluid-impermeable backsheet. In addition, the disposable absorbent articles may include an acquisition layer or secondary topsheet positioned between the topsheet and the absorbent core.
In the case of catamenial pads, users have come to expect a high level of performance in terms of comfort and fit, retention of fluid, and minimal staining and/or soiling of undergarments and clothing. Above all, leakage of fluid from the absorbent article is regarded as totally unacceptable.
In order for a nonwoven material to function well as a fluid transporting member, i.e., as the topsheet, secondary topsheet, or absorbent core on an absorbent article, it is important that the nonwoven material be soft, resilient, and comfortable. In addition, it is desirable if the transporting member is capable of acquiring and transferring fluid within the member itself and to adjacent members and eventually into the absorbent core.
Nonwoven materials formed from capillary channel fibers have been found useful in disposable absorbent articles. These fibers typically hold fluid with higher capillarity (more tightly) than surrounding larger pores. Therefore, it would be desirable to achieve direct, channel-to-channel, or inter-fiber fluid transfer between bonded fibers, holding the fluid more tightly than if the fluid is passed through the large surrounding pores.
Therefore, it is desirable to provide an absorbent article with one or more nonwoven fluid transporting members having the ability to transfer fluids within the member and to adjacent layers or members. It is also desirable to have a fluid transporting member which is soft, resilient, and comfortable to the user.